Stifling of innovation by regulatory agencies will turn ‘Made in India’ into ‘Mad in India,’ says Bajaj

Peeved at hurdles being faced by his company to launch its quadri-cycle in India, industrialist Rajiv Bajaj on Thursday said stifling of innovation by regulatory agencies will turn ‘Made in India’ into ‘Mad in India’, taking potshots at the Centre’s flagship manufacturing initiative.

“If your innovation in the country depends on the Government approval or the judicial process, it will not be a case of ‘Made in India’, but ‘Mad in India’. After five years, we are still waiting for permission to sell our four-wheeler in the country,” the Managing Director of Bajaj Auto told a gathering of IT industry executives in Mumbai.

Stating the quadri-cycle is being sold across countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America, Bajaj wondered why a vehicle which is cleaner, fuel-efficient, safer and whose benefits are as “obvious as daylight”, is facing troubles.

“This is the only country that has not given us permission to sell this vehicles. Because for some reason it thinks if four-wheeler is worse, let people continue on three-wheeler,” Bajaj said.

It can be noted the Pune-based auto major, the largest three-wheeler maker in the world, has faced multiple hurdles in launching the ambitious vehicle in the country.

Meanwhile, Bajaj said his company is “anti-car”, and sought to dismiss notions regarding two-wheelers being dangerous, saying it is reckless driving which makes two-wheeler riders most vulnerable.

“We feel people should either walk, cycle or use a two wheeler. Cars are too big, too fast. They pollute, they congest and kill all of us on two-wheelers. People say two-wheelers are dangerous, my submission is two-wheelers are dangerous only when hit by a car.”

Bajaj announced his company is working on a new solution for urban mobility on the last mile connectivity which is safer and cleaner than the available alternatives, but declined to divulge additional details on the same.

He rubbished suggestions of getting back into manufacturing scooters, saying the company does not look it as an extension of manufacturing motorcycles and will continue to focus on its core strength.

“Media and analysts call it de-risking. It is not, it is gambling! this is playing darts, distraction and fragmentation of resources. You must be like (Mahabharat hero)

Arjun, see eye of the bird and go for it,” he said, adding Bajaj Auto wants to increase its 10 per cent market share of global motorcycle sales.